We carry 5 MR's just in BAB all the time. First choice is the Precise, We go with the Titan if we need a BAB60 then, if we need a low lumen BAB60 then we use the Ushio, if we need more lumens than the Precise we go to the Titan BAB35 which is great when your using a lens since it is much more powerful than the Precise. Last would be special applications and a need for even higher lumens which we would use the Osram IR lamps in BAB40 and BAB60. Then if we still need more light we start this process all over in the 35 watt range. This process doesn't include when a narrow beam is need for special effects. We have spread sheets on lamp #'s, lumens, and all other specs. on the trucks for qick reference and stocking. Man it would be so much easier to just stock the PAR3635WFL wouldn't it.

Is the Titan really more powerful than the precise? I did not know that. Is it that much more noticable?

Sean, I hope you read the first post in this thread. If you did, then welcome to our club. It's called the "we don't know crap committee", and it is comprised of very wealthy and sucessfull business owners who "don't know what we are talking about."

Eden, how do you ever keep track of all the different lamps on every job? It has got to be a maintenance nightmare. I am not talking about the maintenance 6 months after the install, I am talking about the maintenance 3-4 years later. It has got to be hard or almost impossible to remember what beam and what lamp at what lumen you use in each fixture?? I am not implying you should only use one lamp but from what you just described it sounds pretty tuff to keep up with which lamp went where.

It's not a problem for us, but we are a small shop that provides a least some level of documentation to most projects. Plus it's pretty easy to look at the lamp and put the same lamp back in that you take out.

I am a big believer in As Built drawings and job documentation so I could se ehow you could track it. The problem is just like you stated bmwsmity, if your not the guy going out there in 3 or 4 years do you send your guy with an as built and form of the types of lamps used where?? Seems like an obsticle, one that can be hurdled but not without a lot of effort and time.

I know a lot of people use lots of different lamps, to me I just see it as a maintenance nightmare. It is part of why we preach using designer lenses vs. different beam spread lamps.

Everyone must find a balance between speed and ease vs. the final composition. I can usually walk a art gallery and pick the most expensive pieces in just a few minutes just by the way that they look. We are trying to find our niche by being World Class in every way to our clients, we can always drop back and focus on production type work if our model doesn't work for us, but more than likely we will scale by have two separate lighting companies that focus on two different markets within the next year.

Is the Titan really more powerful than the precise? I did not know that. Is it that much more noticable?

When I get a chance I will post my lamp sheets, but I think the GE CC Precise BAB40 comes in at 525CP, the Titan BAB35 is at 780CP which just replaced the BAB40 at 700cp, and the Titan IR BAB35 is at 1000CP. To get a feel for how much of a difference this really is the Ushio BAB60 is only a subtle 270CP. While lighting is subjective and if a PAR is working for you then keep on. I will say that the GEPAR3635WFL is a very smooth lamp, but for me and my clients it's just to bright except in high ambient light conditions or very very tall architecture.

When I get a chance I will post my lamp sheets, but I think the GE CC Precise BAB40 comes in at 525CP, the Titan BAB35 is at 780CP which just replaced the BAB40 at 700cp, and the Titan IR BAB35 is at 1000CP. To get a feel for how much of a difference this really is the Ushio BAB60 is only a subtle 270CP. While lighting is subjective and if a PAR is working for you then keep on. I will say that the GEPAR3635WFL is a very smooth lamp, but for me and my clients it's just to bright except in high ambient light conditions or very very tall architecture.

Eden, When you get a chance can you post those lamp charts? Thank you.

Those who spec Par's out of attempt to gain market share from being the cheapest guy around.

vs.

Those who spec MR's out of attempt to provide quality outdoor lighting that they plan on standing behind and are providing their clients with a far superior product even though it may mean only doing the front yard instead of the front and the back yard due to budget constraints. In 3-5 years the price savings of Pars will long be forgotten and MR systems will become the least expensive system.

Those who spec Par's out of attempt to gain market share from being the cheapest guy around.

vs.

Those who spec MR's out of attempt to provide quality outdoor lighting that they plan on standing behind and are providing their clients with a far superior product even though it may mean only doing the front yard instead of the front and the back yard due to budget constraints. In 3-5 years the price savings of Pars will long be forgotten and MR systems will become the least expensive system.

Oh comeon Eden. I know plenty of high end installers who specify Par 36 Lamps. You know our Big Bang uses a Par 36. Not all fixtures using this lamp are well lights. I know you didnt state this but I can only assume this what you are implying.

Most of the fixtures we install utilize the PAR 36 bulb.......Even more than the MR16's. Also...price is hardly a concern between fixtures with a PAR and fixtures using a MR16...i.e. bullet style fixtures...For us they are just about the same price.

I read and read these threads and can't believe how many people don't like the PAR36 lamps. We've never ever had a problem with those lamps, and as far as designs go....I prefer a PAR over a MR16 anyday. It could come down to using those lamps regularly and not the MR16's. I can get just about any look I want using certain fixtures containing the PARs with different spreads....I can't say that about MR16's....again I don't use them much though. To each their own...go with what works. We use mainly PARs and we are hardly the cheapest guy around or a bunch hacks.....we usually clean up everyone else's mess around here.